Waste station: Unsafe

Find out how this scenario can be made safer

Site description

A small inner city waste transfer station takes mixed waste from building firms, skip hire firms as well as members of the public. An excavator with a grabber moves the waste to and from the bays. Site workers sort the waste in the bays and tipper lorries reverse onto the site to pick up the sorted waste.

The accident

A member of the public, dropping off household waste and, thinking it was safe, carried some pieces into one of the bays. The excavator driver, unaware he was there, carried on working, and struck him as he swung the grab arm around.

The consequences

The man suffered massive head injuries and died on his way to hospital. The site operators were fined £250,000, and subsequently went out of business.